


Instrumental

by koimizu, MizuTranslates (koimizu)



Category: twoset violin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, First Meetings, M/M, Meet-Cute, Musical instrument shop AU, Shop assistant Brett, at least I hope it is one, customer Eddy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:35:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27470578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koimizu/pseuds/koimizu, https://archiveofourown.org/users/koimizu/pseuds/MizuTranslates
Summary: AU inspired by their recent-ishTSA photo shootin a music store.中文版
Relationships: Eddy Chen/Brett Yang
Kudos: 31





	1. The shop

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Instrumental ［中文版］](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27147910) by [koimizu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/koimizu/pseuds/koimizu). 



It was an ordinary Monday afternoon, like any other Monday afternoons: him being on duty alone, almost no customers, time passing by extremely slowly. Not being busy was probably a good thing for a shop assistant, but that was so boring...

Brett propped his chin on his hand and looked at his music history notes on which he would be tested soon after the semester started. He had read the same sentence a couple of times but couldn’t figure out what it meant. With the comfortable temperature and lighting, food in his stomach, and Debussy’s Clair de lune which he had heard a million times playing softly in the background, Brett could feel his eyelids getting heavier by the second...

_Ding-dong._

Awoken by the sound, Brett saw an Asian boy his age coming towards the counter. He quickly regained his composure to give the potential customer a polite fake smile.

The boy smiled back and told him that his student wanted to buy a violin, so he came here to have a look at some beginner violins in this store. Brett replied with a simple “of course”, and promptly took out a stepping stool to get the hanging violins.

Brett took two violins down and carefully placed them onto the counter. He found a bow at the back of the counter, but when he turned around to hand it to the boy, he found him staring.

Brett cleared his throat. “Here, please take a look at these two.”

The boy lowered his head a bit embarrassedly and picked up one of the violins. He started examining different parts of the violin carefully. The boy looked extremely young when he bit his lower lip. Staring at his focused face, Brett couldn’t help but wonder about his age and his violin skills. 

When he finished checking, he put the violin onto his shoulder with apparent ease, tuned it up, played the usual empty strings, high positions, arpeggios, a quick Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars, and he went on to play the beginning of Spring Sonata smoothly; the violin was just so-so, but he still managed to make it sound mellow and sweet. Then came Tchaikovsky’s first movement.

Brett looked up at him in slight surprise. It’s not surprising that a violin teacher could play Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto per se, but this happened to be one of Brett’s favourite and most familiar pieces.

The violinist concentrated on playing as if he didn't know that someone was listening to him. It was not a performance and he was just playing it for himself, but he probably knew that there was a possible listener present.

Just like being overheard when practising — Brett suddenly felt as if he had intruded into a private moment, and an odd feeling filled his heart.

He played pretty well, Brett decided.

The violinist picked up the other violin. The difference in tone and quality was quite obvious, but he gave it the same amount of attention and focus. After tuning, empty strings, high positions and arpeggios, he played something from Suzuki (The Witches Dance? Brett wasn’t sure), a bit of Tchaikovsky again, then it changed to...Sibelius second movement?

Music notes flowed out from under the bow.

It was just a mediocre violin, but he had clearly put a lot of effort into the phrasing. The violin sounded as if it was weeping, and the violinist closed his eyes and furrowed his brow, completely engrossed in the music.

He opened his eyes all of a sudden as if he had felt Brett’s scorching gaze, and he stopped playing abruptly with a shy smile.

Giving the violin back to Brett, he said he would go and discuss with his student. Then he pondered for a moment, and added, “Actually I would like to get some rosin, could you tell me more about them?”

Of course he could.

Brett couldn’t help wondering: this guy had been playing the violin for so many years, why would he need any explanation about rosins anyway? But he kept the thought to himself, led the boy to the shelf and started a professional lecture about different kinds of rosins, like the difference between light and dark ones, how different seasons and humidity levels affect them, rosins with metals, and the types of rosins available in the store. Finally, he pointed to a small round box and said, “And this is the one I have been using.”

The boy’s eyes lit up. “So you play a string instrument too?” Then he frowned, “Um, it isn’t the viola right?”

Brett frowned with him and retorted, “What’s wrong with violas?”

“N-no, there’s nothing wrong-“

“I’m not a violist, I play the violin just like you do.” Happy that his prank was successful, Brett laughingly interrupted him. The boy stopped in his tracks, then burst into laughter.

Seeing his happy face, Brett suddenly wanted to tell him a viola joke. But before he could come up with a good one, the still smiling boy said decisively,

“I will try this one you’re using then.”

Brett, who missed the chance to joke, could only praise him for his choice, take the round rosin box and go back to the counter. When he turned around after reaching the counter, he saw the boy staring at him intently again for no apparent reason, and he averted his eyes flusteredly when he realised that Brett noticed him.

Brett wasn’t sure how to react, so he blinked and simply uttered the standard shop assistant line. “Is there anything else I could help you with?”

The boy hesitated, and finally mustered the courage to say, “Violin Anatomy, interesting T-shirt. Can I buy one?”

Brett wasn’t sure whether to be happy or to be sad. Was he staring at the structure of the violin on my back all along? And here I thought...

“Sorry, but it’s not for sale.”

“Oh.” The boy looked extremely disappointed. Brett felt sorry for him, and an idea suddenly struck. “But perhaps you can buy me a bubble tea? As a bribe.”

The boy’s eyes widened. “A bribe?”

“I got an extra T-shirt with the same design at home. It’s a bit too big for me, but I think it may suit you well. If you don’t mind that I wore it before, and you’ll look like you’re advertising for our shop, you can have it for a cup of bubble tea. And I think you will look good in it too.”

“...I don’t mind.”

“I’ll go and look for it when I’m home. Perhaps you can come find me here at the shop next week? Or we can exchange phone numbers so that I can contact you after I find it. It’s more convenient this way.” The suggestion made perfect sense to Brett.

The boy thought for a while and nodded, no longer furrowing his brow. Brett gave him his mobile phone, and the boy asked quite casually while entering his number, “My name is Eddy, and you are?”

“I’m Brett.”

Eddy looked up from his phone, looked into his eyes and said sincerely, “Nice to meet you, Brett.”

Seeing his earnest face and sparkling eyes, Brett almost felt his reply sounded too half-hearted, “I feel the same, Eddy.”

After pressing the dial button, music came out from his pocket — wait, that’s not classical music?

He pressed “cancel” quickly and gave the now warm mobile phone back to Brett. They were silent for a short while, then Brett said, “Oh right, your rosin.”

Brett reached out and handed the rosin to the boy — Eddy. Their fingertips touched, and Eddy retracted his hand as if burnt. The rosin dropped and they both gaped. With a surprisingly quick reflex, Eddy managed to catch it right before the rosin fell onto the floor into a million pieces.

Eddy clutched the rosin tightly, his ears turning red, and muttered, “I’ll see you next week then, Brett.”

“See you next time, Eddy.”

Brett gave him a little wave, and watched as he walked out of the shop and disappeared from view. Then he lowered his head to read his dull notes again. This gave him something to look forward to in his mundane part-time job...

Perhaps he could tell Eddy a few viola jokes next week? Perhaps they could play the violin together someday? Perhaps he could ask Eddy if he liked the rosin he bought?

_Wait a second, rosin?_

Brett tried to recall his actions desperately, and realised in horror that he didn’t touch the cash register at all. The most important element in the so-called transaction just now, _paying_ , was missing and neither of them had noticed?

He froze. Three years of part-time, and he had never done something as dumb as this. What was wrong with him?

 _Fuck, that’s so embarrassing!_ He fished out the required amount from his wallet and quickly put it back into the till.

Should he tell Eddy about this?

He opened the instant messaging app, typed a few words and deleted them, not knowing where to start. Maybe Eddy will realise this himself? Maybe he could mention this next week? Or maybe...

Staring at Eddy’s bright smile in the profile picture, Brett smiled back resignedly, “Consider this a gift from me.”

He shook his head, put down his phone, decided to put away the thoughts about next week for now, and attempted for the Nth time to read his notes...

* * *

As for the fact that they bumped into each other again in the Conservatory the very next day, that’s another story for another time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this a while ago; little did I know that they would actually go to the musical instrument shop to be trainees for a day! I am aware that my depiction might not be super accurate, please forgive my use of artistic license :)


	2. The rosin

It was just an ordinary Twoset filming day seven years later.

They were preparing for another filming session; Eddy was busy setting up the equipment in the practice room. Outside, Brett opened his violin case to take out his violin and bow, and was about to rosin his bow when he realised that his rosin wasn't there; he probably forgot to put it back into the case after practising the night before.

"Eddy? I forgot my rosin, can I use yours?" It wasn't so much a question as it was an acknowledgement, as he knew Eddy wouldn't mind such a trivial thing.

He opened Eddy’s purple case and easily found the square rosin that Eddy used, and was about to pick it up when he noticed a familiar-looking small round box next to it.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Brett picked up the round box and noticed that the small prints and patterns on the box were somewhat eroded. He opened the box and saw that the rosin was dented in the middle, which was clear evidence of usage.

He still kept this after all these years?

Brett's mind suddenly flashed back to that warm afternoon when Eddy walked into the store and into his life, and their surprised reunion at school the next day.

And the rest was history.

He stood up, walked to the room and told Eddy, "Look what I have found."

Eddy turned around and saw the box he was playing with in his hand. He was stunned for half a second, then grinned a little bashfully, looking surprisingly like in the old days.

“Why are you still keeping this? Look, it’s all old and ragged now...”

"Why not? It was the first gift you ever gave me!" He said so as if it was the most natural and logical thing to keep a piece of old rosin from years ago.

Brett shook his head and smiled fondly. "You and you sentimental tendencies..."

Eddy glared at him and pouted with feigned annoyance, "What's wrong with that? You like that about me!”

The two of them seven years ago could never imagine that this was what they had become. In addition to being violinists and orchestra members, they formed Twoset and became video producers; but more importantly, this guy in front of him, the sentimental, gentle, considerate and smart Eddy, had turned from his faithful friend and reliable partner to his boyfriend who knew well he was loved and wasn’t afraid to show his affections.

Brett couldn't help but smiled. He stepped closer to Eddy, looked up right into his eyes and said, "You know what, you are right." It was close enough to see clearly the softness in Eddy’s eyes and feel the warmth of his breath.

So he gave him a quick and tender kiss on the lips.

"And that's definitely not the only thing."


End file.
